Dexter is having fun with yet one more resurgence in reputation within the zeitgeist, because of the newly launched prequel Dexter: Unique Sin (which not too long ago accomplished its first season), in addition to a minimum of two extra sequence within the works, one with the title Dexter: Resurrection which is about to select up after his obvious demise on the finish of Dexter: New Blood, and one other sequence that can concentrate on the backstory of one of many authentic sequence’ hottest villains, the Trinity Killer, performed to perfection by TV legend John Lithgow.
Dexter Morgan, performed by the eminently proficient Michael C. Corridor (and Patrick Gibson within the prequel) features very similar to a detective himself. When he catches the scent of a serial killer, he units to work discovering irrefutable proof of that individual’s guilt. Educated by his father, Detective Harry Morgan, and given a code to comply with for survival, Dexter’s deductive abilities are second to none throughout the confines of his personal sequence universe. After all, not like a standard detective, Dexter doesn’t place his targets in handcuffs and ship them to jail as soon as he catches them. As a substitute, he wraps them in plastic and sends them to the afterlife through using sharp objects.
Through the years, there have been sleuths who managed to infer his true identification and put him on the ropes, with Detective Sergeant James Doakes most likely coming the closest (earlier than New Blood, that’s), however none had been ever in a position to definitively put an finish to his actions. This is sensible, with him being the title character of the franchise. However what if he had been to come back nose to nose with different major characters who profit from the identical degree of intelligence, logic, and plot armor?
Listed below are 10 well-known TV detectives who would probably have the ability to observe Dexter down and produce him to justice as soon as and for all.
10
Adrian Monk
‘Monk’ (2002 – 2009)
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Monk
- Launch Date
-
2002 – 2008
- Community
-
USA
- Administrators
-
Randy Zisk, Jerry Levine
Monk and Dexter arguably share one main trait in widespread: they each show traits of obsessive compulsiveness. However they diverge in that Monk’s OCD is crippling to the purpose the place it generally hinders his work (and it price him his profession as a police detective), whereas Dexter makes use of his compulsive nature to rigorously disguise his crimes from the world, though he typically fails on this endeavor.
One Mistake Is All It Would Take
Dexter is intelligent, however he has been identified to make greater than the occasional slip-up. Whereas he’s typically in a position to right these errors by means of his personal fast pondering, he simply as typically should depend on sheer dumb luck to flee pursuers. This run of luck would probably not survive contact with Adrien Monk, whose obsessive-compulsive nature would zero in on even the smallest inconsistency in Dexter’s makes an attempt to flee seize.
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9
Robert Goren
‘Legislation & Order: Legal Intent’ (2001 – 2011)
Each certainly one of Vincent D’Onofio’s most defining and most underrated roles, Robert Goren is a ruthless and obsessive detective and felony profiler who made Legal Intent stand out among the many varied Legislation & Order spinoffs. His signature transfer was to interrupt suspects down in interrogations to the purpose the place even essentially the most hardened criminals would find yourself crying and screaming their confessions.
Goren and Dexter Would Attempt To Break Every Different Down, and Goren Would Win
Goren would not simply spot inconsistencies in Dexter’s crime scenes – he’d learn Dexter like a guide, analyzing his habits, speech patterns, and refined reactions till he had him cornered. Dexter may try to control Goren, as he has achieved with different detectives up to now, however Goren is a grasp manipulator himself, able to turning even essentially the most assured suspects into unraveling messes. In a psychological battle between these two minds, Dexter wouldn’t be the one strolling away.
8
Jake Peralta
‘Brooklyn 9-9’ (2013 – 2021)
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Brooklyn 9-9
- Launch Date
-
2013 – 2020
- Community
-
FOX, NBC
Given the foolish and sometimes exaggerated nature of Brooklyn 9-9, this one could appear slightly out of pocket. However Dexter has additionally been identified to dive into comedic, exaggerated, typically ridiculous eventualities as nicely. And as a lot as Jake Peralta could current as a buffoon with the reminiscence of a goldfish, there isn’t any questioning his standing as an excellent detective who all the time will get his man. (He is a manhunter…)
Not To Be Underestimated
All through the sequence’ 8 seasons, Peralta was in a position to clear up various seemingly unsolvable instances, from the thriller of a homicide dedicated in a locked room the place it was seemingly unattainable to flee to that of a misidentified sufferer who truly turned out to be the assassin. And in opposition to Dexter, his goofy demeanor may truly work to his benefit; Dexter would probably disregard him as a simpleton who would not pose a lot of a menace. However as Captain Holt would positively say, “Peralta, you are a genius.”
7
L
‘Loss of life Word’ (2006 – 2007)
In some ways, Loss of life Word‘s Gentle Yagami and Dexter Morgan are kindred spirits. Each goal evildoers out of a misplaced sense of ethical justice, and each have IQs which might be a lot greater than any normal common.
L Is Fairly Merely Out of Dexter’s League
Contemplate what L was in a position to accomplish in Loss of life Word, and the way rapidly he did so. With mainly zero bodily proof, L was in a position to slender the supply of an unattainable variety of seemingly unconnected worldwide deaths to a single metropolis in Japan. From there, it did not take him lengthy in any respect to infer Kira’s true identification. We will subsequently deduce that L would have traced the Bay Harbor Butcher’s killings to the Miami Metro Police Division a lot faster than Particular Agent Frank Lundy. After uncovering Dexter’s extremely traumatic and disturbing backstory (once more, probably with ease), it would not have taken him lengthy to place the items collectively.
6
Jack Reacher
‘Reacher’ (2022 – Current)
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Reacher
- Launch Date
-
February 3, 2022
- Community
-
Prime Video
- Showrunner
-
Nick Santora
Jack Reacher is the proper antithesis to Dexter. A former navy detective and self-proclaimed “hobo,” Reacher represents a classical hero, the more and more vanishing trendy proverbial knight in shining armor. Dexter, alternatively, along with his excessive case of psychopathic narcissism, could as nicely be a slasher villain.
Reacher Poses Each a Psychological and Bodily Problem to Dexter
Reacher’s mind clearly rivals and fairly probably surpasses Dexter’s, and bodily, there actually is not a lot of a match between them in any respect. Positive, Dexter works out and is well-trained, and he is been identified to take down enemies bigger than himself, however these enemies have by no means additionally possessed the power to out-think him.
5
DCI John Luther
‘Luther’ (2010 – 2019)
All through 5 sequence and one movie sequel so far, DCI John Luther helped London’s Critical Crime Unit observe down and produce to justice among the grisliest serial killers you possibly can probably think about, the forms of maniacs who wouldn’t be misplaced on Dexter’s end-of-season tables. He additionally fashioned fairly an in depth reference to a minimum of certainly one of these killers, however you realize, spoilers and all that.
John Luther Is the Solely Detective on This Listing Who Would possibly Give Dexter a Cross
The query is not actually whether or not or not Luther would have the ability to observe Dexter down. As a substitute, we should think about the chance that Luther could be tempted to let Dexter slip into the wind upon studying all there’s to learn about him. Regardless of how typically he claims to respect the legislation, Luther has damaged it on numerous events with a view to obtain his ends, in addition to allowed different lawbreakers to run free as long as they did not get in the way in which of his future investigations. Whereas he probably would not have the identical romantic attraction to Dexter as he did to Alice (though let’s be trustworthy, Mr. Morgan is a catch), it is attainable he would see him as a vital evil and supply him an out.
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4
Jessica Fletcher
‘Homicide, She Wrote’ (1984 – 1996)
Jessica Fletcher has fairly probably tracked down virtually as many murders as Dexter has killed. Performed by Angela Lansbury in 264 episodes of Homicide, She Wrote (and 4 motion pictures), the tenacious thriller novelist encounters grisly crimes just about all over the place she goes, and all the time appears to be one step forward of no matter police drive occurs to be on the case.
Simply One other Case for Jessica
Whereas Dexter and Jessica Fletcher have each handled their share of proverbial villains of the week, Dexter himself would probably be simply that to Jessica Fletcher, barely rising above the ranks of a few of her different most well-known instances. The closest serial killer hunter when it comes to success to ever get near Dexter was most likely Frank Lundy, and everyone knows how that turned out.
3
Alex Cross
‘Cross’ (2024 – Current)
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Cross
- Launch Date
-
November 14, 2024
- Administrators
-
Craig Siebels, Nzingha Stewart
- Writers
-
Ben Watkins
Apart from being an excellent sleuth who can decide up on small particulars most others miss, Detective Alex Cross possesses a talent that’s arguably Dexter’s kryptonite: he’s extremely adept at studying folks. Many an antagonist has caught Dexter’s scent just because he wasn’t in a position to correctly masks his social inadequacies round them in a second the place he most wanted to.
An Emotional Showdown
Dexter and Cross have each been identified to let their feelings get the higher of them, and the result of a remaining showdown between the 2 would probably hinge on which one was in a position to convey the opposite to make an irrational deadly mistake first. Provided that Dexter operates fully exterior the legislation and is normally compelled to behave on his personal, Cross and his loyal accomplice, Detective John Sampson, would probably have the sting on this state of affairs.
2
Batman
‘Batman: The Animated Collection’ (1992 – 1995)
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Batman: The Animated Collection
- Launch Date
-
1992 – 1994
- Community
-
FOX, Fox Children
- Showrunner
-
Bruce Timm
-
-
Efrem Zimbalist Jr.
Alfred Pennyworth (voice)
-
Bob Hastings
Commissioner Gordon (voice)
-
Loren Lester
Robin (voice)
This could go with out saying, however we’ll point out it anyway: there actually is not a model of Batman who’s prone to be outwitted by Dexter, however for all intents and functions, we’ll concentrate on the model from The Animated Collection, which, beloved by followers, faithfully tailored many basic Detective Comics tales for the small display within the ’90s.
Batman Would Be Appalled by Dexter’s Strategies
The sequence dropped at life a who’s who of main gamers from Batman’s Rogues Gallery, paid lip service to among the extra area of interest characters who nonetheless stay in obscurity right now, and even created among the franchise’s most enduring characters, not the least of which being Harley Quinn. And what did all the present’s villains have in widespread? They had been all the time positioned in handcuffs and thrown in Arkham by the top of a given episode, courtesy of the Massive Unhealthy Bat.
And earlier than anybody tries to make the argument that Batman may admire Dexter for the service he offers and provides him a go, keep in mind that Dexter always breaks Batman’s primary rule: no killing. The Darkish Knight would not see Dexter as any completely different than any of his different mentally sick adversaries in his quest to rehabilitate the world.
1
Sherlock Holmes
‘Sherlock’ (2010 – 2017)
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Sherlock
- Launch Date
-
2010 – 2016
- Community
-
BBC
There have been dozens upon dozens of variations of the world’s biggest detective each on TV and in motion pictures, however Benedict Cumberbatch’s modern-day model, who decidedly glided by “Sherlock” as an alternative of “Holmes,” hated the enduring bowler hat that has turn out to be all however synonymous with the character, and overtly described himself as a high-functioning sociopath with no emotions, nonetheless holds a particular place in lots of followers hearts. A lot in order that hope for a fifth sequence continues to spring within the hearts of many.
It Would not Actually Matter Which Sherlock
After all, fiction’s biggest detective would probably have little or no situation discovering Dexter’s moonlighting vigilante habits. Like Batman, nearly any iteration of Conan Doyle’s most well-known creation might be positioned right here, and the outcome can be the identical. Holmes has been portrayed by dozens upon dozens of thespians over the many years, however it’s nonetheless laborious to overstate the fashionable relevance of Benedict Cumberbatch’s tackle the character. And although his sequence tends to focus extra on temper and symbolism than precise detective work, it nonetheless would not be any form of stretch to think about the high-functioning sociopath capturing his prey.